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The Complex Nexus Between Population Dynamics and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A New Conceptual Framework of Demographic Response and Human Adaptation to Societal and Environmental Hazards

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The Demographic Transition and Development in Africa

Abstract

The demographic transition “theory” or framework has been the main preoccupation of modern scientific demography in the past 60 years. However, other than the generality of mortality declining before fertility, there is little consensus on the timing, pace and causality related to socio-economic development. In heterogeneous sub-Saharan Africa, the western-based transition theory is not very predictive of the variation in the pace of the transition, and does not take into account the realities of multiple risks and the dynamics of on-going vulnerabilities and hazards in addressing poverty, instability, food insecurity, excess mortality and globalization. It is important that population dynamics are well integrated into poverty reduction, climate adaptation, and transformation and development policies and programs. To that end, over the past 15 years, we have been using the A. Adepoju approach to rethinking the study of population dynamics in Africa, and adapting the K. Davis framework of multi-phasic change and response and the R. Bilsborrow focus on agricultural pressure and migration. In the volatile Horn of Africa, the human ecology and geo-political structure of the population-environment-economy-political-technology-socio-cultural nexus are the crucial context. These produce short and long-term demographic responses, adaptation and social change at micro community, household and community levels, that in turn change the timing and pace of the demographic transition. Some of the key demographic responses to high vulnerability and frequent hazards and shocks include migration, labor mobility, delays in marriage and family formation, abortion and divorce. The role of a policy-relevant academic book is to foster research on innovative theories, realistic conceptual frameworks, rigorous evaluation and practical field methods. These can strengthen capacity for monitoring human development targets, but also for evidence-based evaluation and decision-making to accelerate the pace of the demographic transition and the capturing of the potential demographic dividend in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Population Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Charles Teller

  2. Department of Global Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

    Charles Teller

  3. Center for Population Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Assefa Hailemariam

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  1. Charles Teller
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  2. Assefa Hailemariam
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Correspondence to Charles Teller .

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  1. Population Reference Bureau, Connecticut Ave. NW., 1875, Washington, 20009, District of Columbia, USA

    Charles Teller

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Teller, C., Hailemariam, A. (2011). The Complex Nexus Between Population Dynamics and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A New Conceptual Framework of Demographic Response and Human Adaptation to Societal and Environmental Hazards. In: Teller, C. (eds) The Demographic Transition and Development in Africa. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8918-2_1

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